Thursday, 21 June 2012

:: Muesli Magic ::

Megann’s Healthy Muesli
Bars

:: Megann’s Kitchen ::

:: Megann's Healthy Muesli Bars - perfect to make on a rainy day ::

I
have fond memories of Uncle Tobies
muesli bars in my school lunch box as a child. They were either pierced with
delicious dark chocolate chips or topped
with dehydrated yoghurt. I distinctly remember eagerly peeling back the paper
covered foil wrapper, rummaging through the sticky muesli snack & eating
the choc chips/yoghurt top -
leaving the bar behind! Oh how times have changed! Now, it is the health
benefits of the actual Muesli bar that makes me go weak at the knees, knowing
all the goodness that is going into my body.

These
bars are a Megann’s Kitchen creation of my favourite things in muesli. This
health snack could easily be a breakfast bar for people on the run or an afternoon snack to cure the 3:30pm munchies. I add seeds for extra goodness & energy, which I find delicious.
The rice bubbles give a smooth & crunchy texture that just makes this
health snack delightful.

binding
ingredients

150g good quality butter

50g brown sugar

3 Tbs golden syrup

2
Tbs honey

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

base dry ingredients

50g
desiccated coconut

180g
rolled oats

50g
rice bubbles

2
Tbs wholemeal self raising flour (optional)

1
tsp cinnamon

flavouring dry ingredients

80g
dried apricots, chopped

50g
dried pears, chopped

30g
dried cranberries (craisins)

30g
sultanas

25g
pumpkin seeds/pepitas (optional)

25g
sunflower seeds (optional)

Preheat
oven to 160°C
(320°F).Line a lamington tin with parchment paper. Place the
binding ingredients - the butter, brown sugar, golden syrup & honey -
in a small saucepan & melt whilst stirring until just foaming. Once melted,
set aside & assemble the dry ingredients – the desiccated coconut, rolled
oats, rice bubbles, dried apricots, dried pears, dried
cranberries, pumpkin seeds/pepitas,
sunflower seeds, flour & cinnamon - into a large bowl. Add the binding ingredients to the
dry ingredients & mix through. Tip into the prepared tin & press with the back
of a spoon or spatula. I then use a smooth glass on its side & roll over
the top, pressing down firmly & smoothing the mixture. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven & smooth over with the
glass again. Allow to cool for 30 minutes then cut with a sharp knife into your
desired bar sizes. Place into the refrigerator & chill.

:: Change it up! You can add any kind of
dried fruit, nuts, berries or seeds that you like. Keep the base dry ingredients & swap out the
flavourings.

:: Another option, for a muesli bar more
like the one from my childhood, is sprinkle some dark chocolate chips on the top
of the mixture once you have tipped it into your prepared tin & squished it
with a back of the spoon. Continue to roll over the top of the mixture with a
smooth glass until firm & continue with the cooking process. Parents be
warned – they will be eaten first!

:: If you like a harder, crunchier muesli
bar – simply extend the cooking time in the oven for another 5 minutes.

:: I once made these with broken/smashed Arnotts Marie Biscuits (a plain, sweet cookie) in lieu of rice bubbles. I have also added leftover water or ritz/savoy crackers. This added a biscuity crunch & is oh so tasty!

:: For a gluten free option, simply leave out the flour. It acts as an
additional binder, however it isn’t essential.

:: In order to stop your muesli bar
crumbling all over the floor at the first bite, store it in an air-tight
container in the fridge with parchment paper in between each layer. Fresh &
tasty! This is a tip from my sister’s web site, We Love Pancakes on Sunday.

:: a great snack with a glass of milk ::

Style & Serve

:: After finding out the fat content &
nutritional benefits of white chocolate vs meltable dried yoghurt were not that dissimilar, I have been using white chocolate. I sometimes
melt 65g of Nestle White Plaistowe
Chocolate or Lindt 70% dark cocoa chocolate over the top. Place the melted
chocolate into a zip lock bag, cut a tiny hole off the corner & drizzle
over the cut muesli bar in the tin then place it into the fridge to harden.
Re-cut through the lines before portioning. This adds a creamy smoothness to
the bar. Delicious!

Quick Kitchen

:: Store portions in zip lock bags &
freeze for a quick snack or breakfast
on the run.

:: biting into the healthy snack - Megann's Muesli Bars ::

Calorie Kitchen

:: Counting Calories? I don’t, but many do.
I have the personal view that many foods have health benefits & great
nutritional value that go beyond the calorie content – so I put it into
perspective. Take the 50g of seeds & 170g of oats in this recipe, together
they add up to 924 calories but there is no question that they benefit your
body from anti-cancer properties to being a natural anti-inflammatory. Amazing,
huh? I love the miraculous health properties of food!

Divided into 16 large bars:approximately 211 calories per bar without the white chocolate drizzle

approximately 232 calories per bar with the white chocolate drizzle

If
you have a calorie count to make in a
particular day, portion the recipe appropriately. You know what they say, everything, even health foods, in moderation.

:: these muesli bars are jam packed full of goodness ::

Health Benefits of Pepitas/Pumpkin Seeds & Sunflower
Seeds

:: The health benefits of seeds continue to
amaze me! I love the fact that so much is packed into such a tiny portion. Just
some of the benefits of pumpkin seeds include: the promotion of good prostate
health, anti-inflammatory benefits, the promotion of lowering cholesterol, a
good source of protein, high in omega 3, packed in anti-oxidants & also
high in iron.

:: Like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds are also a powerhouse food. They have many benefits in small amounts &
should be added to anything & everything possible! Just some of the benefits include: assists in
lowering cholesterol, a good source of protein, high in anti-oxidants, help reduce blood sugar levels by
reducing breakdown of glycogen in the liver, high in B vitamins & folic
acid (great for fetal development!)… now, how can you afford to not add this to your muesli bar!!!

Source

:: Need a good slice tin? I use Bakers
Secret Lamington Pan that is 30cm x 19cm. You can easily source this from your
favourite kitchen supply store, supermarket or online at Kitchenware Direct.

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:: IN THE KITCHEN ::

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"I believe food is about creating memories. There is not one dish that does not have a fond memory attached to it in one way or another, so please, enjoy my memories of cooking & creating in Megann's Kitchen..."